Magnificence on Display in Horry Co

The Horry Co pound in SC reportedly killed roughly 33,000 of the nearly 49,000 pets in its care from 2011 – 2015. When contacted by the local paper for comment on the staggering number of killings, Horry County Animal Care operations manager Kelly Bonome had this excellent response:

“It should be obvious that no one wants to perform euthanasia,” she said.

It should be obvious but apparently you clods can’t see past the mountain of 33,000 dead dogs and cats at the landfill. Annoying.

Also, she has more visionary things to say:

[T]here are only so many people who will adopt and most only want puppies and kittens.

Yes, just a small, finite number of people who will adopt. And not one thing Horry Co could possibly do to influence anyone on that account. Plus most only want puppies and kittens. Which means they suck. Only terrible people want puppies and kittens and again, Horry Co is completely powerless to exert any influence there.

This is the sad reality we have to deal with and, honestly, it is a community problem. We don’t breed animals here. We don’t create the medical or behavioral issues. They are the reality of what is out in the community.

“There are several low-cost [spay-neuter] clinics in the area so this should not be a problem,” she said. “The true problem is that people believe it should be free.”

The 2010 U.S. census indicates that 11.6% of families and 16.1% of the population of Horry Co were living below the poverty line. Heaven forfend the pound apply for grants and/or fundraise to get pets belonging to poor people neutered. Sounds like work. Plus, they already gots the solution. Times 33,000. Stupid irresponsible public.

21 Comments

sarahjaneb

But nobody wants them! Ugh, that one drives me up a wall. It’s called “marketing,” folks. If Unilever can somehow convince millions of dudes that some nasty ass body spray will make women flock to them like June bugs to my porch light, then surely you can convince people of the very real benefits of older pets.

mikken

Ona

Shane and Sia Barbi

no i feel that spay/neuter cost targets the poor, not ignorant. people want free health care laws, why not for pets. and btw, spay /neuter is useless when pet is dead. killing opens the window up for puppy mills, online breeders.

Adrianne

Mandatory sterilization programs have not worked in ANY city they’ve been tried. When the “stock” of puppies and “adoptable” (i.e. sellable) dogs decreases the $helter Pet $tore simply imports more.
They make space for the animals they can $ell by killing the ones deemed “not cute enough” or “too old”.

Rick Tebbs

Rick Tebbs

Wanted to pass on ANOTHER unbelievable result in Horror County South Carolina. While our County Shelter barely reaches a 22% “live release rate” and the incompetent, simple minded Director keeps their position, The Grand Strand Humane Society Director was FIRED after maintaining a 93% live release rate. I have finally figured out the Myrtle Beach / Horry County way of doing things. Do a crappy job, you get rewarded. Do a great job and you are fired. My head is spinning right now with the total stupidity this County shows toward animal welfare

Lance Jordan

If your going to post something at least get it right. The pig was named bacon by the former owner, not the shelter. The pig was also adopted to a very nice lady along with her friend Ebony the pig. Apparently you have very poor accountability if you just post what anyone tells you instead of actual facts. Some journalist. The sad fact is that we take in what the public so lovingly decide they don’t want anymore. I can’t speak for what county council decide but we try to work with what they allows us. I put my heart out to these animals no matter if they come in angry and feral from neglect or abuse, if they come in sick and afraid. I do everything I can possibly do to help every animal. I’m just a worker and I do what I can with what I’m given. So try getting facts right instead of half truth and slander. If you actually want to help then try posting an article to send more people to adopt and more rescues to pull. Talk to people about donating items for animals or even just come and spend time with these wonderful animals. I’ve seen nothing but hate and nothing of no real help from this article.

sarahjaneb

“If you actually want to help then try posting an article to send more people to adopt and more rescues to pull. Talk to people about donating items for animals or even just come and spend time with these wonderful animals.”

You know it’s the shelter’s job to market their animals and get people to come in and adopt, right? And it’s their responsibility to establish trust and a good working relationship with their local rescues. Also their responsibility to solicit and manage donations and volunteers.

mikken

Lance, if an animal comes in with an inappropriate or unmarketable name, it is the shelter’s job to change it. Just as it is the shelter’s job to market, to develop a relationship with rescues, and to get their animals out alive.

” The sad fact is that we take in what the public so lovingly decide they don’t want anymore.”

No, you take in an animal at a time that ONE person doesn’t want, anymore. And just because ONE person doesn’t want that animal, it does not make that animal unwanted.

And if a shelter is killing 67% of the animals it takes in, that shelter is not doing its job. Unless its job is killing, then yay, it’s doing great.

I appreciate that you work hard and care about the animals. But maybe instead of being “just a worker” and railing against a blog that posts negative (and true) things about where you work, you should start advocating for change to make Horry County a better place for homeless pets.

Rick Tebbs

Rick Tebbs

Mr. Jordan. If all your help and love doing everything you can, only achieving 21% live release rate, YOU ARE NOT DOING ENOUGH.
On July 23rd, you DID NOT participate in “clear the shelters” where tens of thousands of animals were adopted. You and hcacc did nothing on that day.
There has been a “sspecial reduced cost” adoption event.in August. You forgot to tell
the tv media. You didn’t send out a press release.
How again are you doing “everything you can”.?
From you all we hear is “it’s the idiot owners” bringing dogs back. Not once on your intake photos for August did you classify a dog that had been surrendered by owner.. Stop blaming everybody but yourself. Your shelter is a disgusting hell for animals. Now, “I just gave the real facts. Facts don’t lie.

db

Lance Jordan

Please, you want true facts? We do market our animals. We put out events and we advertise our events our animals on Facebook and media. We do not post online as an owner surrender though we do classify it on their paperwork so the public can know why they wer turned in. We post our strays so hopefully they can find their owners. You want to establish trust with the local rescue , but they are just as picky with who they take and what reason they take them just as much as the public. The only reason I said for you to help with donations and rescues is because every little but helps besides just what we do. Of course we change their name to something unique. Have you actually looked at their names? “Sir pawsalot” ” Catanoa” ” Beaglejuice” . Seriously don’t think that is an issue.. I also was not saying that someone else did not want an animal that was turned in, I was saying when you have more people turning in or losing their pets and not looking for them than people are willing to adopt then yes it’s a problem. Breeding and dumping unwanted litters is a major problem everywhere.. I say I’m just a worker because I don’t call the shots for everything such as when we make events, how we advertise, if we participate in a ” clear the shelter event”. That goes directly to county council. I do everything I can as far as I can go. I can advertise on my own and talk to people I met. I work with a feral or mistreated animal to bring it around when most people would not even try. I’ve held injured animals and comforted them the best I could as it received treatment, even if it didn’t make it I didn’t give up. Far you go rick tebbs, you solely blame the facility and the workers for things they can’t control., that only the county council can decide but refuse to acknowledge that. All you do is sit behind your keyboard and point fingers and spread your hate that leans more toward a personal vendetta. I DO ALL I CAN. I can’t account for what the people who call the shots and funding decide so for once how about you actually do something useful and blame the right people. I have yet to see any of your so calle fact that were not twisted and manipulated into a lie for your own personal agenda. Like I said if you had done your so called research you would know what I said above. It’s easy to point your finger from the outside when you have never been in my place. When you have not delt with the same situations I have. I can yell to the top of my lungs about changes that new made but does no good in dead ears. Believe me I would love to be a no kill shelter. I would love not to have to go through what I do all the time. But the sad truth is unless the council decides the change either it be from a unanimous decision or from a rally of peers, then it will not change but so much. I work with these animals to get them homes. I try to save everyone I can. But yes I am one man that does what he can, but I can’t do it alone. It takes a community.

Lance Jordan

You say that Gause and Bonome run the shelter and that may be partially true, but you know good as well as I do that nothing gets passed or funded without council approval. Don’t get me wrong, there are things I would like done also, but I’m not going to stand here and act like i can get it done with a wave of my hand. Far as recognition, I need none from you or anyone else. I know what I do and know that I do what I can for these animals at the HCACC. I do not sit back and just accept anything as you so lovely put it. I don’t do it for anyone’s praise. Trust me I don’t mind telling someone when I don’t agree with something, regardless of a paycheck. As far as you sending information I can’t comment in it because I know nothing of it. If you truelly are trying to help I commend that, but a helpful message sent with hate won’t help. Me and my fellow employees are very welcome to helpful ideas and have no problem in hearing them. Far as having to do FOIA, I didn’t make that decision either and think it should be public knowledge so I can understand that. I won’t argue on who’s fault it is because that is a fruitless argument. If you can make a change for the betterment of these animals more power to you. Just make sure it’s helping the animals and not causing more harm than good. Also, far as an interview , I’m well aware of your offer to elder and Ellie. Maybe one day in the future, but unfortunately under present circumstances I’ll have to decline for now.

Rick Tebbs

Just 2 things Lance. Anytime your ready I’m willing to interview. Lastly, I’m going to keep on doing what I do whatever your feelings are. And just for clarification, I have NEVER blamed the workers for anything. You can search my hundreds of my articles and you won’t find it.
You have a dislike for me, yet in spite of that, I think I have been respectful to you. I think we both have the same goals. To reduce the killing of homeless and unwanted animals. You go about it your way, I will go about it my way. Maybe someday we both will realize our dream.

Lance Jordan

Dislike you? Not necessarily. Dislike your methods? Possibly. If your goal is the betterment of animals, so be it. But remember there is no right in doing something wrongful, even if the the end may be well intentions. But we can agree to disagree on things Mr. Tebbs.

Rick Tebbs

Lance, you can say all you want. You seem to recognize the government aspect of this situation, and you are basically saying “there is nothing I can do”. “Don’t blame me, I’m just doing my job.” Knowing everything I know about your employer, and I go back 8 years with them, I would shove my resignation letter where the sun don’t shine if it was “expected of me” to just shut up and accept all the killing. I don’t subscribe to promoting something that doesn’t follow the rules. HCACC does not follow the rules. There is zero transparency. The taxpaying public shouldn’t have to do an foia to get information about what’s going on there. Yet that’s what we are required to do. A shelter that follows the rules and does it well would be “happy to share everything “. You want recognition for “all you do” ? Here you go. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. Hope that made you feel better. I have repeatedly sent to your two supervisors methods to lower your staggering kill rate. Most don’t cost a thing. County Council does not manage and operate your shelter, Gause and Bonome do. Council couldn’t care less how many animals are sacrificed, but your bosses could institute changes that helped themselves. They dont. They say the Council runs the shelter. You are lying to yourself and everyone else when you make that claim, likely to save your paycheck. Oddly enough I understand that. I will continue my blog Horry County SC – Stop the killing until the incompetents are thrown out of there. That’s my job. Keep up your good work. It matters.